Time and Space Bounds for Selection Problems

David P. Dobkin, J. Ian Munro

Abstract: The complexity of a number of selection problems is considered. An algorithm is given to determine the mode of a multiset in a number of comparisons differing from the lower bound by only a "lower order term." The problems of finding the kth largest element in a set in minimal and near minimal space are also discussed. A time space tradeoff is demonstrated for these problems.